Category Archives: TV

Uncle Carl’s Computer Barn?

Posted on October 1, 2010 by David McKee

Thanks to the Vdara Death Ray, the big-ass garage sale Carl Icahn is holding at Fontainebleau has dropped off the news pages. But one blogger asks, What about those iMacs in every F-blew hotel room? To which I might add: … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Current, Fontainebleau, Technology, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Vdara Death Ray | 4 Comments

DIY Global Warming at Vdara

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

Vdara‘s newly infamous “Death Ray” has become the hot spot felt ’round the world: You can tell that Brian Williams is a nice guy because he says MGM Resorts International is “rushing to fix the problem.” If he were snarky, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Environment, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV, Vdara Death Ray | 3 Comments

Inside Icahn’s F-bleau rummage sale

Posted on September 29, 2010 by David McKee

Hmmmm … I hear tell Pinnacle Entertainment just upped the budget* on its Baton Rouge casino. Maybe it can amortize that increase by bargain-shopping at Uncle Carl’s Honkin’ Big Hotel Furniture Emporium (aka “Hot Carl’s Fabulous Fontainebleau Garage Sale”) right-cheer … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Economy, Harrah's, Penn National, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 29, 2010 by David McKee

“This guy. [long pause] Brian Urlacher. [longer pause] He’ll hit ya.” — Jon Gruden, demonstrating characteristic gridiron insight during the most recent installment of Monday Night Football.

Posted in Sports, TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

CityCenter gets a visitor, deploys Vdara Death Ray

Posted on September 28, 2010 by David McKee

He’s not just any sightseer but the type of East Coast tastemaker MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren hoped to impress: New Yorker architecture critic Paul Goldberger. Heretofore, Goldberger’s most memorable pronouncement in re Vegas came 13 years ago, when … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cretins, Current, Encore, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, history, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 27, 2010 by David McKee

“Apparently, even the Invisible Hand [of the marketplace] doesn’t want to pick beans.” — Stephen Colbert, on the dynamics that cause our reliance upon migrant labor. His virtuoso performance illustrates how satire can elucidate complex issues better than any amount … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, TV | 1 Comment

Leaving Liberace

Posted on September 21, 2010 by David McKee

This is a cruel year for Nevada. Vision-care and dental programs for the elderly are being cut back, funding for treatment of problem gambling is in short supply, entire degree programs (you read that right) at UNLV are being eliminated … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, history, TV | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 17, 2010 by David McKee

This video clip is the stuff of Vegas legend. KVBC-TV morning anchor Kimberly Wagner experiences an on-air meltdown when she takes umbrage at a camera angle, in what is probably the only newscast to ever reference She-Ra.

Posted in history, TV | 2 Comments

Running silent

Posted on September 15, 2010 by David McKee

At the moment, I’m following up on some leads that might (I stress “might“) coalesce into a bigger story. I’ve also been trying to clear my desk of a flurry of Questions of the Day and sundry other essays. Topics … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, history, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 14, 2010 by David McKee

“You’re not going to Las Vegas to see the king of beasts, you’re going there for gambling and hookers! You don’t go to see two guys in MGM Grand T-shirts poking at lions! That’s not right!” — David Letterman, on … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Once before it goes

Posted on September 13, 2010 by David McKee

Today’s schedule is taken up largely with conducting an autopsy of the Liberace Museum, as well as transcribing an (unrelated) interview with Teller. In the meantime, for those of you who haven’t seen the Museum and can’t make it before … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, history, Sahara, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Girls! Girls! Girls!; Liberace has left the building

Posted on September 10, 2010 by David McKee

Columbia Sussex‘s Westin Casuarina, the place where shows go to be ignored, is trying again with one-two punch of bodaciousness. Our research staff is doing its best to uncover details on Burlesque: The Show, for which we have nothing more … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Economy, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 4 Comments

Book ’em

Posted on September 9, 2010 by David McKee

A brief digression, if you’ll allow … Guest blogger Jeff_in_OKC and I conduct occasional off-list discussions of the beloved Sixties TV show that featured the most tight-assed cops on the planet, Hawaii  Five-0. Steve McGarrett was probably my formative influence … Continue reading →

Posted in Regulation, TV | 3 Comments

And then there was one

Posted on September 1, 2010 by David McKee

Scarcely had Steve Wynn and Victor Drai parted company than Wynn Resorts issued this curt declaration at 10 a.m. today: Cy Waits has been separated from the company and is free to pursue other interests. Wynn [Resorts] has no further … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Case Bets: Global Cash’s Access, Cosmo, Riviera, Oscar, Oregon & Banditry

Posted on August 25, 2010 by David McKee

Excessive Access? The casino industry gets closer and closer to the day when it simply hooks up a suction hose to your bank vault. While Global Cash Access doesn’t want to interface bank cards with slot machines — it would … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Current, Election, Environment, Harrah's, International, Marketing, New York, Oscar Goodman, Problem gambling, Regulation, Riviera, Technology, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV | 8 Comments

Readers are genius

Posted on August 20, 2010 by David McKee

A big shout-out goes to the S&G subscriber who has the best solution yet for reviving interest in Atlantic City: “Just put the cast of Jersey Shore on view in glass cages on the Boardwalk (like the Snake Guy on … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Marketing, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 5 Comments

Chrome Dome

Posted on August 5, 2010 by David McKee

Last weekend, as I ploughed into a pile of analyst reports, court filings, etc., I came across a Clark County Commission planning report on Christopher Milam, Paul & Sue Lowden‘s proposed Silver State Arena. As you can see, it would … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Baseball, Current, Economy, LVCVA, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation, TV | 8 Comments

Ruffin: No bull

Posted on August 4, 2010 by David McKee

Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin and his beloved mechanical bull made a guest appearance on CNBC and, characteristically, pulled no punches. (Ruffin, that is. The bull had no comment.) Even as MGM Resorts International, Harrah’s Entertainment and Las Vegas Sands … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 6 Comments

Must-see TV

Posted on July 30, 2010 by David McKee

Now that The Greatest TV Show of All Time (sorry, Star Trek) is back for Season Four, here’s Christina Hendricks, who portrays my favorite Mad Men character, Joan Holloway. In this interview, she has a Joan Holloway-like effect on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cretins, Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

CityCenter: Stop the madness!

Posted on July 16, 2010 by David McKee

Just when I thought I was out of the Sharron Angle vs. CityCenter insanity, they pull me back in. As I feared, the mythical “CityCenter bailout” has become a meme in that echo chamber of misinformation and urban mythology, cable … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Election, Fontainebleau, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Taxes, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments